USA advances from ‘group of death’ despite 1-0 loss to Germany

RIO DE JANEIRO — For long stretches, it looked like a sadistic game of keep-ball.

It was like the vast chasm between trodding the boards at local dinner theatre and seeing your name in blinking lights above the marquee at Carnegie Hall.

The boys in black knocking it about effortlessly, even on a spongy, waterlogged surface. The industrious fellows in white chasing, chasing, forever chasing.

And when Germany, the boys in black, finally did break through — the prolific Thomas Muller curling in a splendid strike in the 55th minute after U.S. ’keeper Tim Howard had somehow pushed away a Per Mertesacker header — it only seemed inevitable.

So in a flood-ravaged Recife, Germany topped Group G. But the Americans are through, too, regardless of Thursday’s 1-0 loss, thanks to their own stubbornness, an indifferent Portugal and a complete meltdown by Ghana (two of their better-known players, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Sulley Muntari were shipped home on Thursday for insubordination).

United States’ goalkeeper Tim Howard can not stop a shot by Germany’s Thomas Mueller to score his side’s winning goal during the group G World Cup soccer match between the United States and Germany at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil, Thursday, June 26, 2014. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A Cristiano Ronaldo goal, in fact, ended Ghanaian aspirations and allowed American nerves to stop jangling, as the massively-disappointing Portuguese finished on a sort of high, winning 2-1.

In qualifying, the Stars and Stripes joined Costa Rica and Mexico as the three CONCACAF representatives in the Round of 16, the most ever.

German boss Joachim Low, Jurgen Klinsmann’s right-hand man during his country’s run to third place on home soil at the 2006 tournament, praised both his team and the Americans.

“We dominated again today. We had good organization and setup. We knew we would have to fight,” he said.

“This was a tough group and the Americans were outsiders. I’m happy for the U.S. and this simply means you have quality. They can fight and are tough for their opponents. If you beat Ghana, draw Portugal, then you deserve to be in the Round of 16.”

Statistics are often a poor indicator of the nuances and character of a match. Not on this day.

The 63 to 37 per cent differential in possession seemed a bit too close, actually. Howard was sharp, as usual.

The best weapon the U.S. might’ve had on the afternoon was Die Mannschaft’s growing faith in its utter superiority, making the Germans a tad too comfortable, a little lax and often a bit too sure of themselves. An attitude they won’t be adopting when the knockout phase opens, you can be sure.

The U.S. can take solace in the fact there aren’t many teams out there, if any, as powerful as this German side.

“Obviously,” said an overjoyed Klinsmann, “it’s a huge achievement by our team to come through that group and qualify for the knockout stage.

“This is a huge, huge step. Everyone said we had no chance but we took that chance and now we move on.

“We take a couple of good things with us and whoever we face we’re going to take it to them. Now we really get started. Once the group is done another tournament actually starts because the knockout stage is a completely different ball game.”

CRISTIANO RONALDO!!! Portugal takes the 2-1 lead in the 80th minute! That's a MASSIVE favor for the United States! #USA

Up next for the Americans, Group H winner Belgium in Salvador on July 1. Germany will play Algeria on June 30 in Porto Alegre.

“I’m proud of the group and we still have a lot left in us,” said Howard, outstanding in this tournament so far. “Today was a tough game, tough conditions. Hats off to Germany. I think they have a chance to win the World Cup. That’s how good they are.

“We get to the Round of 16, but we’re not happy just getting there.”

Thursday’s qualification for the knockout stage indicates how far the U.S. has come.

Germany supremacy on the day further illustrates just how far it still needs to travel.